Modernly, plastic pipes are employed for many applications, and can be composed of a variety of plastic materials, such as polyvinylchloride. The advantage of using such plastic pipes, includes low cost, and ease in assembling and installing such plastic piping drainage and irrigation systems.
One type of plastic piping system is used frequently for soil irrigation purposes. In this regard, plastic pipes are used in the ground to supply water to sprinkler systems for irrigation purposes.
One problem frequently encountered with such plastic pipe irrigation systems is that the plastic pipe can fracture or otherwise rupture in the ground, thereby causing a serious leak and loss of pressure in the system. In order to repair the pipe, the soil must be removed to expose the broken pipe so that it can be repaired.
The difficulty in repairing such a pipe goes beyond the digging down into the ground and removing the soil, since the broken portion of the pipe must be removed by cutting off the damaged section, and then a coupler is used to replace the removed section of the pipe. There is a serious problem in attempting to manipulate the coupler into position in the ground, to join the cut-off ends of the pipes.
The problem frequently encountered in the repair operation is that one end of the coupler is first attached, then the other end must somehow be manipulated into position to slip onto the other cut-off end. In order to accomplish such an awkward manipulation, the other cut-off end must also be partially unburied and lifted up to receive the other end of the coupler. In so doing, that portion of the pipe may also become broken as a result of being unearthed and pulled up to permit access to the coupler. Also, to attach the coupler, both cut-off ends must be raised angularly upwardly out of alignment with one another to somehow receive the coupler and then the coupler is lowered downwardly until the coupler is in proper alignment with the two cut-off ends of the pipe. Such an operation is very awkward to perform, and oftentimes results in further breakage of the pipes.
A further problem is encountered when a person must make a decision as to how much of the broken pipe to remove. If too little of the pipe is removed, then it is almost impossible to install the coupler in place. If too much of the pipe is removed, the cut-off ends must be properly seated within the ends of the coupler to provide a proper sealingly engaged fit.
Therefore, it would be highly desirable to have a new and improved method and coupler for repairing broken pipes, and otherwise to join conduits in fluid communication in a convenient manner.